Thai Coconut Chicken Chili

I found this recipe in BH&G magazine. It looked interesting so I thought I'd share it with you.

12 oz. boneless skinless chicken, cut into small cubes
1 large onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1.5 teaspoon chili powder
1.5 teaspoon ground ginger
1 Tablespoon flour
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 can coconut milk
1 Tablespoon peanut butter
1 can white cannellini beans, white northern beans
3 medium carrots, shredded
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
1 green onion, sliced
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil, or 1 teaspoon dried

Fresh basil leaves and/or sliced jalapenos for garnishServe over hot rice.
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Cut up your raw chicken, and onions. Cook quickly in pot along with salt, pepper, ginger and chili powder.

Once chicken is no longer pink, add flour, mixing in well. Cook one minute longer.

Stir in coconut milk, peanut butter, beans (including juice), carrots, celery, green onion, garlic and chopped basil. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, or until veggies are tender to your liking. You may add up to a cup of water if it seems too thick for you.

P.S. I upped the amount of spice X2, I also added additional salt and black pepper. It seemed a bit lackluster before the additions. 

Gather your ingredients. I ran the celery and carrots through the food processor to speed things up. The green onions I keep frozen after cutting up a couple pounds of them. I also grated fresh ginger instead of using powder.

All the spices. I prefer to mix up my own chili powder. About equal amounts of cayenne, oregano and cumin. Also here you'll see the salt and black pepper.

Cut-up chicken, onions, ginger and spices into the pot. I poured the spices onto the pot, not onto the meat or onions. With the heat up high, I wait for the smell of the toasting spices to reach my nose before I stir up the pot. Toasting the spices just brings out their aroma. :)

All stirred up. Now, I go start the rice, smash the garlic and open cans of coconut milk and beans, while the chicken is cooking.

Chicken is no longer pink, add the flour. After mixing in thoroughly, cook one more minute before adding more ingredients.

Peanut butter. A bit of a Thai flavor. Not overwhelming at all.

Add coconut milk.

Bring heat up so it starts to boil.

Add beans.

Carrots and Celery.

Green onions and garlic.

Stir it all up well and bring up to boil.

Reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and gently simmer for 20 minutes. Stir every once in a while, so it doesn't stick to pan bottom and scorch.

Yum! Serve over rice. Very tasty!